The Price
by Vashkoda
Summary: Ichigo was used to tough choices and having to deal with the consequences. But was he ready to make those kinds of decisions on behalf of his friends?
1. Denial

AN: Yet again, I am most prolific in writing around exam time. It's not that exams inspire me-rather, I look for any excuse I can to procrastinate. At least writing fanfic seems slightly more productive than playing video games.

This fic does not fit in the universe of any of the other fics I've written. It follows the official storyline up until Aizen reaches the world of the living. From there, he invades with his army of hollows, and is slowly taking over parts of Karakura Town. Ichigo and the others escape Hueco Mundo and join in the fight to protect their home.

* * *

Ichigo hefted his zanpakuto in preparation to strike at an Arrancar, when a jarring sensation made him stumble. Seeing an opportunity, the creature's skull-like grin widened as it put its hands together to form a cero. Ichigo recovered his balance before the energy beam could materialize, and skewered the creature through the head with his sword.

Without wasting another moment on the disintegrating hollow, Ichigo turned and shunpoed in the direction of the disturbance. At the speed he was going, it took only seconds to reach the source, but in that time it finally dawned on him what he was really sensing. It wasn't the presence of a strong reiatsu signature that bothered him. It was the absence. The absence of three reiatsu that until now, his senses had grown so accustomed to feeling that his mind naturally tuned them out. The individuals attached to those signatures had been of great comfort to him; pillars of strength that kept him moving forward when everything else in life worked so hard to beat him down. And now...

...they were _gone._

"Ichigo! Did you see what happened?"

Rukia was already there, searching through the rubble of a smoldering building. It had broken into large cleanly sliced sections, as if from a laser or a sharp and powerful blade. Steam rose up from where water trickled over the glowing hot metal, giving the scene an even more otherworldly feel.

For several moments that seemed to span forever, Ichigo could only watch; too numb to move or speak. In a still functional corner of his mind, he thought it was touching that Rukia had grown so close to the three humans that she, too, had sensed when their lights vanished.

She called his name again, finally breaking the daze and spurring Ichigo into action. He came up beside her and helped lift a long block of cement that might once have been someone's balcony. There were several sheets of bettered metal under that, and even more debris when they finally had those cleared away. The pile was endless, but Rukia and Ichigo kept going in grim silence. Ichigo left his body on autopilot and retreated back into his mind, bracing himself for what they might find. He was only vaguely aware when sounds and movement in his peripheral vision signaled that Renji had arrived with his division to help them.

When Uryuu's body was uncovered, Ichigo was so detached from himself that he could summon only flickers of annoyance at the 6th Squad members who grumbled over expending such effort over humans. Looking at him, it was clear that Uryuu had died quickly from his wounds. The mortal blow must have been something that caught the Quincy completely by surprise, considering his speed and agility. The worst of his injuries did seem to have penetrated him from the back, and Ichigo vaguely wondered if Uryuu had been relying on someone to watch it for him. Chad, perhaps? Or Orihime? Could her shields really have stopped such a deadly attack?

Renji yelled at his squad to keep searching. It didn't take long, and Ichigo realized that he had been correct, and that all three had died beside each other. Chad's charred body curled protectively over Orihime, whose hands still clutched at her hair. Chad's armor had cracked from the intense heat, and where there was no armor, his flesh had simply melted away. In contrast, from the waist up Orihime was untouched, looking almost as if she was sleeping. But the rest... Ichigo only hoped she had been knocked unconscious at the start, rather than suffer as she felt life slowly bleed away from her crushed body.

"It was quick," Rukia confirmed, placing her arm comfortingly around his back. Ichigo gasped a shaky breath and nodded, finding himself suddenly on his knees.

"I'm sorry, Ichigo," muttered Renji, avoiding his gaze. "They were good friends, and strong allies. They will be missed. Unfortunately, my team and I are being called back to the front. Things aren't looking good there."

Ichigo nodded in silent acknowledgement, and all the Shinigami except Rukia vanished. She looked at him questioningly.

"Do you want me to stay with you, Ichigo? For the Konso?"

The impact of her words hit him like a punch to the gut. The Konso would be the ultimate goodbye; a true acknowledgement that his friends had passed. It was too soon; the wounds to his mind and soul were still raw.

"Can't...can't it wait?"

Rukia sighed. "Their spirit forms will materialize soon. This place is still a battleground, Ichigo. You won't be doing them any favors putting this off, placing their souls in danger."

Ichigo grit his teeth. "It's too hard for me to accept this right now, Rukia. I just...can't."

She nuzzled her head against him in sympathy. "I know. For humans, they did incredibly well. You were always together, always so close, and it seemed for a long time that they shared your crazy luck, Ichigo, and that nothing could stop them. But the reality is, nothing goes on forever."

"Yeah, I know that," growled Ichigo. "But at the same time, all those lucky breaks make me think there's still something we can do; something left that we have to try. If Orihime were here, she could have fixed all this, but now-"

"Let them go, Ichigo. Death isn't something to _fix_. It's natural."

"Hat-and-clogs," he said in sudden inspiration. "Rukia, can you do me a huge favor and get Urahara?"

"Ichigo, I don't think-"

"Drag him here kicking and screaming if that's what it takes," Ichigo ordered, refusing to give up. "Tell him if he doesn't come, I'll go grab him myself, and I will _not _be in a good mood!"

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence between them, broken suddenly by an embarrassed cough. Both heads turned in surprise to see the very subject under discussion walking towards them, navigating his way around the broken bits of masonry.

"Figures you'd be nearby," muttered Rukia darkly.

Urahara shrugged, dramatically waving his cane in the air. "I can't help but keep an eye on those I feel responsible for. And since I had a hand in guiding those three down their respective paths, I thought it was the least I could do to pay my respects."

"Don't you dare talk like that, old man! Don't pretend there's nothing more you can do to help them!" screamed Ichigo.

Urahara's eyes peeked out in surprise from under his wide brimmed hat. "My, my. I come here to try and be nice, and all I get is threats and accusations."

"You said it yourself, you were responsible for them! You told my friends about Rukia and me when we might have tried to hide it from them and keep them safe. You helped train them in their powers and you told them how to find me when I was going off to the Soul Society!"

"You can blame some of that on me," said a new voice as a short dark figure detached itself from the shadows. Ichigo's scowl only deepened when he recognized Yoruichi. "You were so young and wild and _naive_," she continued, ignoring his reaction. "I thought having other allies to watch over might keep you all grounded."

"Yeah, that worked out really well for _them_, right?" said the teen, pointing at the bodies. A small part of him realized that he was making a scene, and probably only served to make him look more like a child beside these ageless souls, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

Urahara plopped down on the ground beside him. Ichigo was ready to bat away any comforting hand the old man might offer, but the shopkeeper seemed to sense his limits. "Ichigo, all we did was give them an opportunity to help. We didn't _make_ them choose to get involved in this war. They decided that for themselves."

Ichigo couldn't understand the resistance he felt from Urahara. The scientist had performed miracles in the past, and Ichigo knew that if anyone could help his friends, it would be him. If Ichigo failed to sway the old man, there would be no hope of saving them.

"You talk about guiding them, about giving them chances. So then give them a chance now! You found me dying in the street from the wounds Byakuya gave me, but you brought me back. You brought my _powers _back. Don't they deserve the same?" he cried desperately.

Yoruichi shook her head. "Your case was different; your body was intact. There was still time to help your soul recover from the shock and slowly train you back to your powers. But these three have have had their bodies mutilated. To delay their transfer to the Soul Society by forcing them to regain consciousness when they are like this... don't you see how cruel that would be?"

"Not to mention the risk involved if we keep them in that state. Their soul chains would need to be severed, and you know what happens next," spoke a third new voice, and Ichigo wondered just how many Shinigami there were hiding in the shadows and playing silent witness to the scene. Tessai shambled his giant body down the same pile of rubble his master had passed earlier, with their two young wards in tow. "It's not your call to make."

Ichigo grit his teeth in frustration. This was not the type of decision to be rushed, be he felt they were running out of time. What would his friends have wanted? Would they have been satisfied with their lives, and chosen to move on and start anew in the afterlife, knowing what the Soul Society was like? Like Ichigo, Chad and Orihime had wanted to protect those they cared for at all costs, thinking little about their own safety. Uryuu had his own special code and notions of vengeance against Shinigami, but he had been a decent guy and fought alongside them. Ichigo could not believe that any of them would have wanted to give up if they were given a chance at coming back and continuing to fight alongside one another.

"It isn't just what _I_ want. They would have wanted the same," Ichigo insisted, trying to convince himself he was speaking truthfully. Could it simply be that Ichigo didn't want to see any of them go? Could his own selfish desire to keep them alive be putting their souls at risk?

The adults exchanged troubled glances. Of the three of them, Yoruichi seemed the most against the idea.

"They will suffer horribly until their chains are cut," she reminded them. "Assuming you can even bring them back."

Urahara frowned. "They each suffered in life as well. I think their souls have not yet traveled too far." He pushed himself up and wandered over to where Uryuu's body lay, examining it carefully. "If we bind them back to this world, their inner hollows will try to take over. To give their souls a chance, we need to awaken their zanpakuto. Before the chains are cut, we must stab them with our own blades, just as Rukia did to you, Ichigo."

"If I can, I'd like to help again," Rukia spoke up. "At least I'll already know what to expect."

"That should be fine," Urahara agreed. "Your powers have recovered sufficiently since the last time."

"So if we're going to do this, let's do it already!" barked the spiky-haired child from Urahara's shop. "They're only getting deader the longer we stand here."

"Right then, Rukia over here to Orihime, and Ichigo here over Chad," instructed Urahara. "Take your swords out and let's get ready."

"Wait, I've never done this before," spoke up Ichigo worriedly. "How exactly am I supposed to transfer my power into someone through my zanpakuto?"

"I didn't really understand either, when I did it to you" Rukia admitted. "It was something I'd only heard about, but at the time we were desperate. I just followed my instincts. It's okay, Ichigo, you'll do fine." She tugged his arm and brought him over to where Chad and Orihime were lying on the ground. Nervously, he tried to imitate her as she aimed her zanpakuto over Orihime's chest, and hovered his own sword over Chad. Urahara was doing the same to Uryuu. Energy began rolling down the length of their blades, almost as if the swords already knew what to do.

"You better not make me regret this, Urahara," Yoruichi growled to him. Without warning, her body was suddenly engulfed in blindingly white light that billowed outwards like flame. She aimed her hands and the energy shot out towards the humans, causing Ichigo to jump back in surprise as the bodies convulsed. Rukia grabbed his arm and helped him focus on the task at hand, and he mimicked her and raised his sword. Letting his instincts guide him, he didn't let himself think too hard about what he was actually doing. His zanpakuto felt drawn towards Chad's chest, and as he followed the pull and let it sink downward, Ichigo felt a sap on his energy. His uniform turned stark white and his zanpakuto vanished, but at that moment he felt Chad's reiatsu flare to life.

Ichigo crowed in joy when he saw Uryuu, Orihime, and Chad's spirit forms manifest suddenly in front of him. Seeing them wearing Shinigami uniforms gave him an odd sense of deja-vu of the days they had snuck into the Sereitei. However, the smile tugging at his lips was replaced by a look of horror as his friends collapsed and writhed on the ground in agony.

"Hyah!"

Before Ichigo could blink, something streaked across his vision, and he heard the sound of metal links hitting the ground. The kid from Urahara's shop was wielding some sort of axe and looking very pleased with himself. His friends' expressions of pain and their Shinigami uniforms were now gone, and their eyes slowly opened to take in the new scene around them.

"What the hell is going on?" demanded Uryuu, still gasping for breath.

"I was in so much pain, and now it's gone but...I don't feel right," complained Orihime, pressing a hand to her forehead.

"Ichigo, can you explain what happened?" asked Chad, holding up the severed end of his soul chain. The others suddenly noticed that they too, had a length of chain dangling from their chests. Their growing sense of unease was only made worse when they realized that they stood atop their own battered corpses.

"Calm down, everyone," Urahara ordered, not letting things escalate into a panic. "I know you want answers, but we can't afford to sit and chat here in the middle of a war zone. We need to get the three of you to safety."

"We're dead, though, right? Isn't that the gist of it?" asked Uryuu, now sounding almost relieved. "If so, what's the hurry? Just perform the Konso and send us to the afterlife."

Urahara exchanged an uncomfortable look with Ichigo. "I'm afraid it's more complicated than that," the scientist explained. "We interrupted the normal death process for you three, thinking you might have wanted to remain in the world of the living."

"Wait- you what?!" exclaimed Uryuu. He frantically turned to Ichigo for confirmation, but when he only nodded in reply, the Quincy reached out and grabbed the lapels of his uniform, almost throttling him.

"How could you do that! What if you've just damned my soul? What if I can't get into the afterlife!"

Ichigo might have felt a little guilty if he didn't find Uryuu's words so utterly ridiculous. "Listen to what you're saying! You've seen what happens to spirits when they get into the Soul Society. Were you honestly looking forward to going there?"

"No, of course not! But the Soul Society isn't all there is, Ichigo." In the lecturing tone that Ichigo despised, Uryuu explained, "My people believe that there is a realm beyond that one, where souls are truly free and at peace. The Soul Society is just a place in between, a limbo where souls that haven't proven themselves must suffer to absolve them of their sins."

Ichigo glanced at Urahara in surprise. "Is what he's saying true?"

The old man shrugged. "There are many theories about the afterlife, but if there really is anything beyond reincarnation that awaits those in the Soul Society, no one has ever returned to tell the tale. The Soul Society isn't all that bad a place, despite whatever impressions you guys had about it."

"Well now, thanks to you, I won't even have a chance to go there! My soul will be trapped on Earth forever!"

"You can't know that for sure, Uryuu-"

At that moment, the unmistakable howl of a Menos sounded, followed by several others. A second later, Renji materialized directly out of a shunpo jump, almost running into Ichigo when he was distracted by the sight of their resurrected friends. In a winded voice, he quickly relayed his message.

"The squads have been ordered to clear out, and when we do, this area will be overrun with hollows. You guys have to leave this place _now!_"

Urahara nodded to his staff, who quickly dispersed. Turning to the three new spirits, he urged them, "You are weaker at this moment than you have ever been. If you guys don't run for your lives, I don't think we'll be able to save you. I want you to head for my shop; I can help you once you get there."

They exchanged startled glances. Uryuu looked about ready to protest, until Urahara barked, _"GO!"_

"I'm looking forward to hearing some explanations later," muttered Renji, helping the others scramble up the pile of debris.

"So am _I_," added Uryuu sarcastically as they all began to run.

Ichigo tried not to let their comments unnerve him. He knew that it would take time for his friends to adjust to their sudden deaths, and _he _wasn't responsible for that part anyway. All he had done was try to make the transition easier for them by keeping them in this world. He had done a good thing... there was nothing to feel guilty about. In time, they would understand his decision and agree.

He had nearly convinced himself until Urahara turned to him with a conspiratory wink. "Lesson One is underway," the man chuckled, watching the others run. "If you think Uryuu's worried about his soul now, just wait until he learns what Lesson Two is."

* * *

"It's called encroachment," Ichigo explained uncomfortably, watching Orihime hold up the ends of her broken soul chain. "It normally happens very slowly over years, but we figured you guys wanted it over with as soon as possible."

"And that's why I'm in this pit?" she asked him, throwing a glance upward at the opening far above them.

"Yeah. Urahara calls it the Shattered Shaft. Something about this place speeds up the process."

They were both startled by a loud cry of pain that was just as quickly choked off.

Ichigo gave Orihime an apologetic look. "Sorry. I just got done explaining things to Uryuu, and I don't think he liked what I had to say. Urahara said hollowfication goes even faster when you're upset."

The girl looked troubled. "I wish there was some way I could help him. If I had my powers, I could heal our chains back to normal."

"I know that would make things easier, but it's the whole reason you guys are down here, Orihime. You can't get your powers back until your chains are fully gone."

"But you said Rukia had given me some of her power. How come I don't feel it? How come I don't look like you, Ichigo?"

The teen scratched his head uncomfortably. His zanpakuto and uniform had returned shortly after they arrived at the shop; Urahara had reassured him that his reiatsu would replenish quickly. The three newly revived spirits, however, still looked like ordinary wholes. He realized that he was the last person Orihime should be asking about how it all worked, but he tried to explain what he knew.

"Rukia temporarily transferred some of her reaistu into you to teach your spirit how to assume Shinigami form. But when your body died...the second time...you lost that power. To get it back on your own might take years, or it might never even happen-"

"So that's why I need the hollow to show me how," Orihime finished for him. Ichigo could see her try to put on a brave face for him, although it seemed to grow harder as they listened to Uryuu's screams.

Another cry of pain, this one deeper, came from the opposite direction. Ichigo glanced at Orihime's chain, and was comforted to see that she still had many links left intact. If Chad's encroachment was now beginning, however, he might need Ichigo's help.

"I'm going to check on Chad, I promise I'll be back." He crouched down as he prepared to leap up the walls of the shaft, but Orihime grabbed hold of him first.

"Ichigo, don't go," she pleaded.

"Wha-? You aren't afraid of this place, are you?"

She looked down at her feet. "I...I just don't want to be down here alone when the hollow comes. I know I'm just being silly."

Ichigo shook his head. "No, it's not silly at all. But Orihime, when it happens, you won't even see the hollow. You'll be inside your inner world, and I can't be there with you."

A flash of panic showed on her face, but it was quickly replaced with a shaky smile. "All right then. I'm sure it'll be fine."

"I could stay down here a little longer-"

"No, please go and make sure Chad is okay. I'm worried about him too."

Ichigo nodded and smiled, trying to reassure her, but inside he felt wretched. More and more, he was beginning to wonder if he had done the right thing. Tessai had been right; what they were doing _was _dangerous. What would he do if his any friends failed to overcome their inner hollow?

As he reached the surface, he saw Urahara approach him, wearing a troubled expression.

"Ichigo, we need to talk. I know you didn't want them restrained-"

"No, and I still don't," Ichigo growled as he stormed towards the shaft holding Chad. "You guys put me through more torture than was necessary. I won't have you doing the same to them."

Urahara caught up to Ichigo and grabbed his sleeve to make him stop. "I already explained to you why we did that. Yes, we knew it would provoke you, and that would make the hollowfication go faster, but it was also for your safety. _Your _safety, Ichigo, not _ours_. During hollowfication, the body loses control and lashes out against itself. Your friends could get hurt if we don't protect them."

Chad's scream filled Ichigo with sudden dread. He yanked his arm back from Urahara and shunpoed down the shaft. At the bottom he was surprised to see Tessai wrapping his arms around Chad, trying to hold him down.

"Boss, I was just going to call you," said the older man. Ichigo turned around to discover that Urahara had followed him in. The shopkeeper knelt down to examine Chad, whose own arms were crossed against his chest, as if he were trying to shield himself.

"Chad, are you okay?" Ichigo asked, wondering why his friend was thrashing so hard against Tessai's grip.

"Sor-ry, Ichi-go," groaned Chad, a crazed look in his eyes. "My hands... I can't control them."

It was then that Ichigo noticed the broken pieces of soul chain clenched between Chad's fingers. As the larger teenager writhed in agony, his arms moved just enough for Ichigo to see that only a few links of metal still remained attached to Chad's soul plate.

"Okay, enough of this," announced Urahara suddenly. He grabbed hold of Chad's arms in a lock that hardly looked strong enough to hold him, yet Tessai confidentially let go. "Tessai, I'm giving you permission to use whatever means necessary."

"Sir," nodded Tessai in relief. "Bakudo ninety-nine!" he cried, clapping his hands together.

Urahara released Chad just as thick black straps rose from the ground and wrapped themselves around the giant, with metal buckles slamming into place to hold him down. The straps immediately began to strain, and several buckles snapped off.

"Part two!" cried Tessai, digging his hands into the dirt. "First song, binding wrap!"

Ichigo couldn't take his eyes off his friend as sheets of white fabric shot out of the earth to curl over his massive body. Just before he was hidden from view, Ichigo gasped, seeing the unmistakable black and red markings of Chad's armored arms.

"Come on, Ichigo, we have to get out of here!" urged Urahara, grabbing him and hauling them both out of the pit. Once at the surface, Ichigo was ready to dive right back down, but Urahara stepped in his path. "There's nothing you can do for him now, Ichigo. This is between Chad and his hollow."

Ichigo frowned, looking over the edge but unable to see anything in the darkness below.

"This will be harder for them than it was for you. You only had to focus on finding your shinigami powers. They'll have to do the same, but their hollows will be there to confront them from the start."

Ichigo hoped they would be okay. He refused to consider the alternative. The chaotic storm of reiatsu he sensed in the shaft below was growing stronger. Over the howls of a hollow being born, Ichigo could just make out Tessai calling out the final form of his spell.

* * *

Chad coughed as he found himself suddenly face down on the dusty ground. He squinted his eyes as he tried to see through the clouds of sand being tossed into the air by strong gusts of wind. As he raised his arms to shield his face, he realized with relief that they had turned back to normal. He still remembered the odd sensation of his hands being under someone else's control and watching in horror as they snapped off the links of his spirit chain.

_That must be why I'm here, _Chad realized. _Ichigo said this would happen. This place must be my inner world._

He looked up at his surroundings with renewed interest. He noticed that he was in an open area, but surrounding him on all sides were the ruins of a giant coliseum. There were cracks along the stone columns, and entire sections of the stadium seemed to have broken away. As the wind blew, small pieces of the building began crumbling before his eyes.

And there, sitting in the bleachers, was a hazy figure wrapped in shadow.

"Hello!" Chad called out, his voice echoing through the large open arena. The dark shape made no move in reply, but Chad had no doubt that it had heard him. Suddenly without seeming to move, the shadow stood directly in front of him. That would have unnerved him a year ago, but Chad had seen such speed before.

He searched his memory for any advice Ichigo might have given him on what to expect. "You... you're my zanpakuto, right?"

"Tchh," snickered the shadow, which Chad now realized was not actually a shadow, but rather a blur of gray _something_. No matter how long he stared, it could never seem to settle on a single form. "You have known me a long time, Yasutora Sado, and yet you feign ignorance."

Chad lowered his eyes in apology. "I'm sorry, this is all still very new to me. I was told my zanpakuto would speak to me in this place, and help guide me to my Shinigami power."

The creature roared and lunged, and if Chad had been any slower he might have been knocked into the dirt.

"Again, you insult me!" seethed the creature. It made no further move to approach him, but Chad took a few steps back, knowing as he did that it would be futile. His opponent was obviously fast enough to hit him any time it wanted; that it missed him earlier only meant that it wasn't really trying.

"If you are not the spirit of my sword, then what are you?" he asked, annoyed that this thing was playing games with him.

"Fool! Don't you know where your powers come from? Haven't you always suspected what you might be?"

Chad looked down at his arms in surprise to find that they had shifted back into _Brazo Derecha de Gigante_ and _Brazo Izquierda del Diablo._ Glancing up, he noted that the grey figure had also solidified in shape. It was now an exact duplicate of Chad, but with pale white skin and hair, and yellow irises set in pitch black eyes. Its arms were the opposite of Chad's, with the left colored black, and the right ending in a bone-white shield.

"Much better," smiled the hollow, for Chad knew then what it really was.

"Where is my zanpakuto?" the teen demanded. At that moment a large section of the coliseum collapsed to the ground, but hollow did not seem to notice.

"A sword? What do you need that pathetic thing for, when you can deal mortal blows with your bare hands!"

Chad instinctively raised his shield just as his duplicate fired a cero at him. The energy blast ricocheted off towards a set of nearby columns, disintegrating them into nothing.

"You ought to be careful," smiled the creature. "Who knows where your zanpakuto might be hiding? You might destroy it by accident!" The hollow finished its sentence with a swipe at Chad's head, which this time the teen failed to dodge in time. He was thrown across the arena and crashed against the bleachers, breaking off another section of them as he did so.

Chad groaned and stumbled as he climbed to his feet. His hollow approached him slowly, seeming to savor its victory.

"Is that all you've got, Yasutora? Your grandfather would be disappointed. And your friends will be too, when I emerge out of that pit and eat them. Just imagine the looks on their faces!"

"I won't let you harm anyone," swore Chad in defiance. "My body and soul are my own, not yours. This is _my_ world."

"Your world will soon be gone," remarked the creature, pointing at the crumbling ruins. "And as for you body-"

Both Chad and the hollow paused in astonishment. Chad's arms looked human again, but his clothes had transformed into a Shinigami's.

The hollow had undergone a similar transformation, again with their colors reversed so that its Shinigami robes were white. The only difference between them was that the hollow's right hand carried a sword. The creature looked down at its new weapon and roared in rage.

Almost instinctively, Chad _thought_ himself standing at the hollow's right hand, and suddenly he was there. He grabbed at the weapon, which the hollow swung clumsily at him, as if it weren't used to wielding it. Chad managed to wrest the sword out of his clone's grasp, realizing in surprise that without the hollow arms, Chad was now the stronger one between them.

"Pathetic!" screeched the hollow. "Without my gifts, you are nothing! Do you think that zanpakuto will make you as strong as I did?"

"I don't need your powers," Chad answered with conviction. "I've got all the strength I need to take care of bullies like you."

Chad drove the sword into the hollow's chest and watched in satisfaction as the demon disintegrated.

* * *

Uryuu muttered Quincy oaths as he stared at his new surroundings. It was disturbingly familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen it before. As he pondered this, he reflected on just how he had come to be there.

Matters had been spiraling out of control ever since he had awakened to find himself standing over his dead body. Without any explanations, he had been told his soul was in mortal peril and that he has to race as fast as he could to Urahara's shop. When he arrived, exhausted and furious, Urahara still offered no answers, instead dragging him to his basement and then trapping him a pit. He had screamed obscenities until Ichigo showed up apologizing profusely, but by that time Uryuu didn't care about excuses and only wanted to beat the living daylights out of someone. From a safe distance at the top of the shaft, Ichigo then shouted down what Urahara had planned for them, which only made the Quincy's mood worse.

_Damned Shinigami scientists_, growled Uryuu furiously. _They think they have the right to experiment on innocent people just to satisfy their curiosity. You just wait, Urahara. When I get out of here, I'll teach you a thing or two about Quincy vengeance!_

He had blacked out at some point, only to awaken and find himself in an odd looking maze of giant pillars. His clothing had changed back to the outfit he had worn in Hueco Mundo on their quest to rescue Orihime. To his satisfaction, it even included the short cape in the back. The only thing he could not find and sorely wished he had was his Quincy amulet. Grudgingly, Uryuu had to admit that as good as he looked, the outfit simply wasn't functional without his weapon.

"Looking for this?" cackled a high pitched voice from atop one of the giant columns. The memory of the place suddenly struck him, and he realized where he must be. The entrance to Hueco Mundo was deep inside a citadel with multiple chambers, one of which bore a striking resemblance to this room. Rows of smooth red stone pillars jutted out from the floor, like a forest of branchless trees. It was where he had fought the arrancar Cirucci Sanderwicci, but unlike Cirucci's lair, this area appeared infinitely large, with no walls or ceiling in sight. He doubted that he had somehow been transported back to Hueco Mundo, so logically, this could not be the same place. That left only one possibility.

The figure atop the column moved into view, startling Uryuu. It was a copy of himself, wearing the same uniform, but made from black fabric instead of the signature Quincy white. His clone's skin and hair were deathly pale, standing out in sharp contrast to the dark clothes it wore, just as its yellow pupils blazed inside pitch black eyes. In its hand dangled a Quincy star.

"I see," said Uryuu slowly, backing up a step. "I guess Ichigo wasn't kidding. This is my inner world. But what I don't understand is how a filthy hollow found its way inside it."

The demon laughed shrilly, and Uryuu winced to hear such an irritating sound come from something that resembled him so closely.

"A little slow today, are we Uryuu?" it teased. "Normally your mind is a lot sharper. After all, if you're dead, what normally happens next? That is, if one of those damned Shinigami doesn't come over and interfere?"

Uryuu frowned, wondering what the creature was getting at. At least the conversation was keeping it distracted while Uryuu tried to assess the situation and come up with a plan. The hollow might have his amulet, but Uryuu's uniform still carried plenty of ammunition.

"My soul wanders, either left to find the Soul Society on its own, or until a hollow comes and feeds on it," he replied.

"Yes yes," said the demon impatiently, "but what if those don't happen either? What is the _natural _outcome when a soul is trapped in your world after death?"

Uryuu brought one hand up to his chin in a thinking pose, while the other hand slipped behind his back to where he kept his Seele Schneiders. He hooked his finger through one of the loops while he pretended to consider his answer.

"The natural outcome," explained the hollow, not waiting for Uryuu's reply, "is that the soul sheds its useless human form and inhibitions, and falls under the control of its true master-a master who until death, is forced to wait and watch itself pathetically stumble through life. When the body dies and its soul chain crumbles, the hollow is finally freed. Do you understand, Uryuu? I am here because I have always been here, ever since your soul was born. And now that you are dead, it is time to claim my inheritance."

The hollow leapt off the column and dove right for him. Uryuu whipped out his Seele Schneider and activated it, creating a blade of reiatsu. Just in time, the hollow activated the Quincy star and used its web-like energy bow as a shield, turning away his thrust.

"Give me back my amulet," growled Uryuu through clenched teeth, as he tried to force his weapon through the hollow's defense.

"Does the little Quincy want its bow back?" laughed his dark clone. "It must really annoy you to have to use a sword against me, doesn't it? Just like one of those wretched soul reapers." The hollow suddenly unleashed a volley of arrows at him, and Uryuu was forced to withdraw his attack and dodge back. "Not that I blame you, a Quincy bow is a much better weapon."

A rumble sounded in the distance, momentarily distracting them both. The hollow leapt back atop one of the columns, and sighed in satisfaction at what it saw.

"Your time is running out, Quincy boy."

Uryuu had to see for himself, and jumped up and landed on the column across from his clone. A cloud of dust swirled in the distance, and when it lifted, Uryuu could see that many of the columns there has fallen.

"What does that mean?" Uryuu demanded, but thinking back to the warnings Ichigo had given him, Uryuu already knew the answer. His inner world was collapsing, which meant that the hollow was gaining control.

"It means the race has begun," grinned the creature. "Of course, you could always spare yourself the pain and agony and just give up now."

Uryuu was again forced to dodge a swarm of energy arrows as he leapt from column to column. Looking over his shoulder, he answered calmly, "You don't know me at all if you think I'll let you win."

The barrage of arrows stopped for a moment, and Uryuu had a chance to catch his breath and study his opponent, who had temporarily lowered his bow.

"Oh, I know you better than you think. Tell me, Uryuu, do you really want _them_ to win? Have you forgotten who killed your grandfather-the man whose amulet this is?" the hollow asked, motioning towards the bow. "Do you think he'd want you to join the ranks of the enemy?"

Uryuu grimaced, wishing he didn't feel compelled to justify himself to the demon. "My grandfather tried to be an ally to the Shinigami. He never wished them harm."

"And it was that kind of thinking that led to his death," the hollow reminded him. "The Shinigami abused his trust and destroyed him. I may not care much for you, Uryuu, but if you let me win, I will make you this promise. I will see to it that the Shinigami pay for their arrogance."

The pillars began to tremble as the ground quaked, sending more of them tumbling. The Quincy looked in desperation at his opponent. The clone held out a pale hand in offering. Uryuu leapt up to join him on the pillar.

"Will you give your soul to me?" the creature asked, its eyes glowing in hunger.

Uryuu's left hand raised in appearance of accepting, but at the last minute, it joined his right hand against the hilt of the Seele Schneider, activating the blade as he swung it towards the hollow. The dark clone raised its bow in defense, but this time Uryuu's weapon was stronger. The energy web dissolved in a shower of sparks as the laser sword continued towards its intended target, slicing the hollow down its center. The creature dropped to its knees and looked up at Uryuu with an accusing look.

"In your lecture on avenging my grandfather, you forgot one all-important detail," Uryuu reminded it, watching as it began to disintegrate. "The Shinigami were at fault for not intervening, but ultimately, it was the _hollows _who killed my grandfather."

As Uryuu watched, he noted in horror that his grandfather's amulet was dissolving along with the hollow. It took all his willpower not to drop down and frantically try to salvage what he pieces could, but somehow Uryuu knew that it would be futile. The confrontation with his hollow had cost him, and though it meant his soul had been saved, there always came a price.

Uryuu felt his white Quincy uniform fall away, replaced with the black uniform of a soul reaper. It was a bitter choice, but better than the alternative.

He altered his senses, now seeing the world in the form of reiatsu particles and spirit ribbons. There was a single dot of red in the sea of white; a dot that felt like a blemish on his soul. Praying that his Quincy ancestors would forgive him, Uryuu raced to reach that crimson speck in time.


	2. Bargaining

When the awful white fluid finished pouring out of her screaming mouth and blanketed her vision, Orihime tried not to give in to panic. It had almost been _more_ frightening waiting for the inevitable to happen, and now that the hollowfication was underway, she almost felt relief. Soon it would all be over.

The whiteness faded slowly, revealing sunlight and the soft pastels of a field of flowers in bloom. The pain and fear she had felt moments before were instantly forgotten. The young girl released a cry of joy as she ran through the bright meadow, enjoying the smell of the fragrant petals and the sounds of crickets and honeybees hiding in the tall grass. With a content sigh, she lay her body down in the center of the field and stared up at the sky.

_This isn't so bad_, Orihime thought, blushing as she remembered how she had begged Ichigo to stay with her. Despite whatever horrific transformation was happening to her on the outside, in this world she was happy and at peace.

_If only it were real..._

As if sensing the change in her mood, a peal of thunder sounded in the distance. The sky suddenly roiled with storm clouds, hiding away the sun. Orihime sat up and looked for shelter from the rain that was sure to come, but the meadow was open as far as the eye could see, without trees or other shelter in sight. _Except there_. Something had suddenly risen from the field, a shadowy mass that stood up against the horizon. At the same time, a cold wind blew across the plain, moaning as it passed through the grass.

Orihime grew worried, but remembering Ichigo's instructions, she tried to find her courage. Her zanpakuto was supposed to be waiting for her.

"Hello!" she called, hoping it wasn't shy. What was one supposed to say to a magical sword?

Orihime yelped as she felt a presence materialize directly in front of her. Staring at it in surprise, she was disquieted to see her own face reflected in its features. The skin was much paler than Orihime's, and the hair was snow-white, but otherwise it did not look very different. After months of wearing Aizen's arrancar dress, it did not even seem strange to see this figure wearing it.

But the eyes... The eyes were so very wrong.

Orihime climbed shakily to her feet, her thoughts whirling madly as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. "Who are you?" she asked it finally, noting that the figure made no move except to watch her with its contemptuous gaze.

This was not her zanpakuto, that much Orihime knew. The dark reiatsu swirling from its core named it for what it was.

"Who am I?" the hollow repeated, its voice colder than the wind. "Are you really so clueless as to what is happening outside at this very moment?"

"Hollowfication," Orihime answered, though in truth she understood very little what that meant. "But how can you be both out there and in here? Ichigo said I wouldn't see you." She knew once the words were out that it had been the wrong thing to say. The hollow's yellow-eyed glare intensified.

"Do I frighten you?"

"Yes," Orihime admitted truthfully. How could her zanpakuto have left her alone with such a creature? Her eyes darted frantically around the meadow, hoping for some source of salvation.

"At least you know your place," the hollow remarked in approval. "Poor child. Your so-called friends have done you a disservice, making you face off against me. Do you realize what will happen when I'm freed?"

Orihime backed away from it, sending a mental cry for help to whoever might be listening. "I have a pretty good idea," she muttered.

"I don't think you do. You were powerful in life, Orihime. You barely explored your potential, but I know full well what you are capable of. I will take great pleasure in showing you how your weapons can be used to maim and destroy, instead of heal."

Her vivid imagination easily painted for her the grisly scenes the hollow threatened her with. Orihime stopped backing away. "No... I won't let you!" she cried, the fear for her own safety now replaced with fear for her friends.

"You think you can stop me?" laughed her pale twin.

"Tsubaki!" Orihime cried, expecting to see her small belligerent fairy appear at her shoulder. But to her surprise, a sword appeared in her hand instead. The hollow stared at it in disbelief, then summoned a sword of its own, as white as Orihime's was black. With an angry cry, the hollow lunged at her, and Orihime barely had time to dodge out of its way.

"Tsubaki, help me!" Orihime squeaked, knowing nothing of swordplay.

"If you didn't know how to use me, why did you summon me, you crazy woman?!" shouted the weapon, vibrating in anger. Orihime yelped as she managed to deflect a blow the hollow had aimed at her.

"Hey, this one's not doing much better," laughed the sword in the enemy's hand.

"Shut up," seethed the hollow at its weapon. "I don't know much, but I can still easily defeat her." Orihime saw that it was true. Even though the hollow seemed to copy her moves, it was still stronger and faster than she was. She might be able to block it with her shield, but the creature probably expected that and knew a way around it. Regardless, it would do Orihime no good to simply protect herself from the hollow. She needed to find a way to defeat it, or else it would take control of her.

Lightning crashed down in the field, and the surge of power almost knocked both combatants off their feet. The hollow had been facing the blast and was momentarily blinded. Orihime sensed that this might be her only chance.

"Give up, hollow!" Orihime shouted, backing out of reach of its weapon. Her opponent seemed confused by the gesture, noting that Orihime had passed up an opportunity to strike.

"What makes you think I'll surrender? The storm has nearly reached us, which means your soul is almost mine."

"Not if I destroy it first," Orhime challenged, lifting the blade against her own throat.

"Wha- what are you doing?" cried the hollow. The fear in its voice confirmed Orihime's suspicions.

"You really _are_ nuts, woman! Get me away from there!" Tsubaki commanded, the sword trembling in her grip.

"I won't let you use my power to hurt others-I'd rather die!" she shouted. On impulse, she added, "Something tells me that if I did that, you'd die too."

"Look, you don't have to do this. We can still make a deal," proposed the hollow, inching closer.

Orihime now used both hands to grasp the hilt, showing the hollow how serious she was. It stopped in its tracks. "The only deal I'll accept is that you leave me alone. I don't ever want to see you again."

The creature frowned thoughtfully, then nodded. "Very well, I'll let you take over for now. But don't be so quick to banish me. The day may come when you need my help."

"I doubt that very much," said Orihime flatly.

The presence disappeared, and the sky immediately brightened. Orhime breathed a sigh of relief-

-and found herself back in the real world. She still held Tsubaki in her hand, and was surprised to find her arm raised as if to strike. Something heavy was wrapped against her face, making it hard to breathe. She dropped the sword and clutched at the mask, pulling it free and throwing it against the ground before she fell unsteadily to her knees, gasping for air.

"You ok there Orihime?" asked Uryuu, laying an arm across her shoulders. Orihime looked up at him, noticing that he was cut and bruised in several places. She reached a hand over to a particularly nasty wound, and wondered whether she might have been responsible.

"Don't worry about it, it's nothing," he said, grabbing a piece of white cloth that had somehow gotten caught in her shinigami robes and deftly wrapped it into a bandage to cover his injury. "I think I hurt Ichigo more than you hurt me."

Her eyes widened. "Ichigo! Where is he? He's hurt?"

Uryuu sighed and adjusted his glasses in annoyance. "He, Tessai and Urahara had to keep us contained while we fought our hollows. They had just finished casting a restraining spell on Chad when I began to change, apparently without them noticing. From what Ichigo told me, he had to beat me almost senseless before I was finally able to break free of my hollow. By that time yours had gotten loose, so I offered to help control you while he left to help with Chad. He came to his senses shortly before you did."

"Oh," she said, relieved but at the same time troubled. Ichigo had brought them back to life, but there had been a price. There were demons inside of them now. Could they ever feel safe again, with these creatures threatening to come out at any moment? She had made a deal with her hollow, but she had no way of knowing whether it would stick to their agreement. Had Chad and Uryuu truly been able to control their demons? She stared at the arm around her shoulders and shuddered, then looked up worriedly at Uryuu to see if he had noticed.

Uryuu's eyes were locked on her sword, laying only a few feet away. It had a long black blade that seemed to be made up of interlocking V's. She reached over and picked it up guiltily, feeling bad about having dropped it. She hoped Tsubaki would forgive her.

"Orihime, your sword is in shikai form. You learned its name?"

The girl laughed uneasily. "Of course, I've always known its name. This is Tsubaki."

"Well well, look who's already passed Stage Three," said Urahara, coming over to them. "I believe you still have to work on that yourself, don't you Uryuu?"

The boy grit his teeth. "You've tortured me enough for one day."

"Now now, you've come so far already, it would be silly to stop when you're so close." Orihime watched as Uraraha led Uryuu to a secluded corner of the training grounds, then began to fight him with his sword. Neither seemed to be holding back, fighting each other with relish, but Orihime couldn't stand to watch them get hurt. She climbed to her feet and looked around to see where Ichigo might be.

Her gaze caught the bone white mask she had discarded earlier. The demonic face seemed to mock her, reminding her of its presence.

She raised a foot over the mask and smashed it to pieces.

* * *

Urahara's gaze swept over the three teenagers sitting gloomily around his office table. They were no longer in Shinigami uniform, having right away chosen to change into the gigai he had brought them after they had completed their basic training. He had crafted those gigai long ago, shortly after the teens had left to infiltrate the Sereitei. At the time, Urahara hadn't been sure whether they were going to return alive or dead, but was fairly certain they would want to stay in the world of the living.

Now he wasn't so sure. But of course, now they had no say in the matter. That choice had been taken away from them, thanks to the arrancar that killed them. And thanks to Ichigo.

"So what are we supposed to do now?" asked Chad softly, staring down at the table. Orihime shrugged despondently, while Uryuu continued to fidget with the Quincy medallion between his fingers. Urahara had retrieved it from the battlefield, but since becoming a Shinigami-or perhaps it was the influence of his hollow-Uryuu was no longer able to use it.

Urahara put on his classic goofy grin in an effort to cheer them up. "You go back to your lives, doing what normal kids your age do. Movies, parties- oh and I suppose you should keep going to school."

Orhime sighed and leaned back into her chair. "I don't know if I'll be able to focus on my schoolwork any more. I'll always be worrying someone will notice that I'm dead. What if I give myself away somehow?"

"At least you and Chad have no one living with you who will notice," grumbled Uryuu. "My father won't be fooled by this gigai. And when he senses the Shinigami in me-never mind the _hollow_-I'll be thrown out of the house. Or maybe he'll just kill me for good and put me out of my misery."

"Now now, it's not as bad as you think," Urahara assured them, pulling up a chair. "Remember that I have a memory replacer if any of you somehow get caught. As for your father, Uryuu, if he gives you any trouble, you're welcome to stay here at the shop, we have plenty of guest rooms. That goes for the rest of you, too."

Orihime made a small cry of dismay and sat upright, suddenly realizing something. "What will the Shinigami do when they find out? Didn't Rukia break their rules by passing on her powers to Ichigo, and now to me? And if we're hollows, won't they come after us too?" she asked worriedly

Urahara waved the matter aside, pretending to not be concerned. "The Central Forty-six won't know about this unless we tell them. And right now they're far too worried about the war and Aizen's movements to keep track of Rukia."

Chad's expression turned grim. "If the war is going so badly, shouldn't we be out there helping? We can't just go back and try to live normal lives, knowing what's going on out there."

Uryuu turned to look at him in surprise. "Do you really think they want our help? We'll be just be in the way-that's how we died in the first place! We gave our lives trying to help them. That's already more than they deserved."

Urahara coughed apologetically, breaking into their conversation. "I'm afraid you're all far too vulnerable right now to jump back into the fight with Aizen. For starters, the powers you had in life are gone; you'll need to be completely retrained. Second, your inner hollows are just barely under control, and I want to see more evidence from you that you have a leash on them before I put you in any kind of situation where they might try to escape."

Orihime shook her head. "I don't ever want to see that thing again. I will never bring her out, I swear."

Urahara gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm afraid it's not that easy, Orihime. The three of you have been marked. The hollow will always be a part of you now, even if you can't see it. Here, let me show you-"

Although he realized it might be cruel not to let them adjust to the truth slowly, he was afraid of what might happen if any of the three became hotheaded and decided to jump into a fight without supervision. He had to make them realize as soon as possible the danger that they were in.

Urahara drew in his reiastu for several moments, then released the concentrated energy as a thick wave of spiritual pressure that bound his three guests in place. They stared at him in surprise and more than a little fear as they saw him draw three slender knives out of his robes, tipped with a suspicious looking green substance. Unable to move, they could only brace themselves as Urahara drew his arm back and launched a blade at each of their chests. They heard and felt the thunk of the weapons make contact, and after an agonizing few seconds of wondering when they were going to die, Urahara released them.

"What-the-HELL!?" screamed Uryuu, ripping the hilt from his chest. He stared at it, expecting to see blood, but the blade was clean except for the smudge of poison at the tip.

They all heard a shattering sound and turned to look at Chad, who had begun to stand up in protest when something white had slipped from under his shirt and fallen to the ground.

"As I was trying to tell you-" Urahara began, watching as Orihime and Uryuu also discovered hollow masks under their clothing that had protected them from the deadly attack, "-your hollows are going to be with you and watching every move you make. I cannot trust you until you can trust your hollows not to take control. You will have to face them again, but not until you are ready. Do you understand?"

"Yes," they answered unhappily. Urahara sighed, wishing there was another way.

* * *

Ichigo sat silent watch on the rooftop of Urahara's shop, on the lookout for hollows. He would have rather been inside, talking to his friends and relating to them his own experiences with becoming a Vizard, but Urahara had gently reminded Ichigo that his friends might not be ready to talk about that just yet. In fact, given his involvement in their predicament, Ichigo might be the last person they wanted to see. Unable to really argue that point, Ichigo grudgingly offered to stand guard while Urahara tried to settle the others down.

Of course in his weakened state, Ichigo might not be the best choice to be keeping watch over their safety. Still, he figured he had enough reiatsu left to sense an enemy's approach, if nothing else.

He had to revise his thinking a second later when Renji appeared behind him, nearly scaring him off the roof.

"Whoa, sorry I startled you," Rengi apologized, looking faintly surprised. "Ichigo, did something happen to your powers? I can barely sense you!"

"Yeah," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Remember what happened to Rukia when she passed on her powers to me? Well..."

"You didn't!"

"I sorta had to," he argued, thinking that if anyone would understand, it would be Renji. "You saw the others lying there. If I hadn't tried to bring them back, they would have wound up in the Soul Society."

"We could have used them there, too," said Renji, almost wistfully. "Aizen's forces are attacking everywhere. Mostly we think the attacks on the Rukongai are a distraction to keep us from focusing our strength here. Central Forty-Six would never let us leave the Sereitei unprotected. They don't seem to understand that if we keep letting Aizen gain ground in your world, he'll be able to make the King's Key and break into the Royal Dimension."

"When they passed those crazy laws against Rukia, I assumed it was because Aizen had secretly taken over. I never thought your real government would actually be just as stupid," growled Ichigo.

Renji cocked his head at him and grinned. "They still haven't cleared the Vizards, even after learning it was all Aizen's fault. At least we're lucky they haven't put any bounties on your head."

"I don't think the captains who know have been spreading that little bit of information around, so I'd prefer you keep it secret," Ichigo muttered. "And while we're on the subject..."

* * *

"What a long day," Yoruichi yawned, spreading her arms over her head. A minute later, she was in cat form, circling around the pillow she liked to nap on, next to Urahara's bed.

"Mmm-hmm," nodded Urahara distractedly, staring out the window of his bedroom. Yoruichi noticed his gaze and guessed at what he was thinking.

"The hollows won't come this close, at least not before morning. Renji left a report with Ichigo that they had moved further west."

Urahara settled back into his chair and sighed. "I should have taken care of Aizen a long time ago. I should never have let him get away with what he did."

Yoruichi snorted. "You would never have been able to reach him after your banishment. Especially not with Central Forty-Six siccing Mayuri and all his goons on you after I broke you out. They would have loved an excuse to kill you."

"And once Aizen left the protection of the Sereitei, he was already in possession of the Hyogouku," nodded Urahara. "At that point he was already unstoppable."

Yoruichi jumped onto the table and playfully swatted at his shoulder. "So now that we've agreed that we couldn't have changed the past, what are we going to do about the problems we have here in the present?"

"You mean the three new guests we have in the basement?"

"Among other things, yes."

Urahara groaned and buried his face in his arms. "I can't ever catch a break, can I?"

"You could have said no. I know you like that kid but you can't just agree to every little whim he has."

"Well, on the bright side none of them turned into hollows."

"Yes, but the risk! And Ichigo would have gone nuts if we had to dispatch any of them. It's _his_ hollow I worry about most of all."

"He seems to have it under control. I'm sure the Vizards were able to help him suppress it."

Yoruichi hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe we should invite them here to help train the others."

"I doubt they'd come. We squared our debts long ago. Besides, I wouldn't even know where to find them. They're the ones who tracked down Ichigo, not the other way around."

"I suppose you're right. Still, I don't look forward to their training."

"Tessai is keeping an extra barrier around the facility just in case. As for their training, they're already at it now. It won't be long before you get to pull out the Bankai mannequin again."

Yoruichi laughed at the thought. Then she looked at him in horror. "You're kidding, right?"


	3. Guilt

"One more round," insisted Chad. He was heaving from the exertion of their training, but refused to take a break. He was still holding his weapon in shikai mode-or more accurately, _weapons_. The zanpakuto had become a pair of double-spiked claw weapons that he gripped in each fist to make his punches even more deadly. Uryuu wielded his shikai as well, which was shaped like a sword except with a bright blue flare of energy for a blade. What made it difficult to train was that both Chad and Uryuu had to hold back-Chad because his punches threw sound waves ahead of them that could knock craters into the ground, and Uryuu because his energy sword could cut through anything. Uryuu could make the blade solid and immaterial at will, which he used to keep from accidentally dismembering his friend. At first they had trained with their zanpakuto in sealed mode, and Uryuu and Orihime had taken turns against the giant. After two fights, Orihime had to back out, and then Uryuu and Chad had decided to try their swords in released form. Uryuu had gone on a couple more matches, but even he had his limits.

"No, there's no point in this," Uryuu told him, also out of breath. "When we're this tired we get sloppy, and we risk hurting ourselves and each other. It's not like Orihime can-" He stopped himself, but everyone had known what he was about to say.

The girl smiled sadly. "I'm sorry I can't heal any more. I'm sure when we go to the Soul Society, someone there can show me a new way. Or maybe Hachi can, if the Vizards come help us."

Uryuu shook his head. "Ichigo said the Vizards have their own score to settle against Aizen. I don't know why we haven't seen any sign of them. Maybe they've already been destroyed."

"Or they're waiting for the right time to strike," said Chad hurriedly, noting the crestfallen look on Orihime's face.

Uryuu resealed his weapon and strapped it behind his back. "C'mon, let's get some sleep. Yoruichi is supposed to be training us again tomorrow." He headed for the stairs without waiting to see if they followed. Orihime moved to join him, then looked back at Chad, who stood staring down at his hands.

"Is something wrong, Chad?"

The boy looked up at her sadly. "These weapons are good, but they aren't as strong as my armor. If I'm weaker now than I was then, how will I be able to help anyone?"

Orihime hugged herself, trying to keep from feeling despair. "I miss my shun shun rikka. I still have Tsubaki, but I never used him as much as the others. I'm just not good as a fighter."

Chad put a reassuring hand on her shoulders. "When you're motivated, you can be very strong, Orihime. Don't worry, you'll get better."

"You guys coming?" Uryuu called down from above. Orihime and Chad hurried to join him atop the stairs.

* * *

The howl of a hollow woke him from troubled dreams.

Ichigo rolled out of his blankets and rubbed the crusts out of his eyes. He was surprised to find himself inside the shop and asleep, as the last thing he remembered was sitting up on the roof, on the lookout for danger. Someone must have come and brought him inside and thrown him the blanket. Did that mean there was no one left on guard? Should he sound an alarm?

Deciding to investigate a little first, he grabbed his zanpakuto and shunpoed out of the shop. He reached out with his mind and thought he might feel a disturbance somewhere west. Yes, there was definitely a hollow signature out there. A single hollow should be no match for him, even with his power depleted. Still, he kept on the lookout for more in case this was a trap to lure him out of hiding.

He slowed as he approached the location, now relying on his other senses. The area appeared to be a shopping center, although like the rest of Karakura Town, it was abandoned after a series of "unnatural disasters" had struck. He wasn't sure what news story the officials had concocted to get everyone to leave, but he was glad they did.

There had definitely been a battle here, or more than one by the looks of it. Territories were constantly changing sides, and Ichigo had lost track of where the boundary now stood. Ichigo hated to admit that there even was a boundary, knowing that the entire town should be under his protection. Still, there were some areas even more hollow-infested than Las Noches itself, and there was really no point in venturing out there unless one had a death wish.

There were faint sounds of battle still going on, and Ichigo worried about what he might find. So far he hadn't seen any human or Shinigami corpses. The sight of dead hollows might have reassured him, but any hollows killed by a zanpakuto were instantly purified and disintegrated. Still, he approached the scene carefully.

He spotted a blur of movement between two buildings across the lot. With a single shunpo he was there, his sword out in front of him and ready to lend some aid. The figure seemed to be wearing a black shinigami uniform, but he couldn't see any details. Four minor hollows and one arrancar were pursuing it, roaring and clawing at the air. Suddenly the small hollows had it pinned, and the arrancar laughed and charged up a cero between its hands.

Ichigo was instantly there, reflecting the energy blast with his sword. The cero hit the arrancar in the chest, staggering it but otherwise not doing much damage. The arrancar drew its sword and glared at Ichigo, who noted that the creature wore a small nub of bone on its chin. Ichigo could feel the arrancar drawing in its power in preparation to release, and made a wild grab for its sword. The hollow froze in surprise as Ichigo yanked the weapon out of its grip and tossed it as far away as he could.

"That won't stop me," the creature hissed. "_Terrorize, Po_-"

Ichigo sensed the heat radiating from the cero a second before he felt it strike him in the back. He had ducked, letting most of it roll over him to strike the arrancar in the face. The poor thing had never managed to finish calling out its resurrection, and now its body oozed and smoked and flopped on the ground, headless. With one quick motion, Ichigo stabbed down at its chest, putting it out of its misery. Then he shunpoed a few feet away and turned to look at his new attacker.

The figure in the black uniform faced him. Now that it was standing still, Ichigo's eyes made quick note of several important details. First was the nightmarish mask, its eye sockets outlined in blood red and its canine muzzle with teeth protruding from every direction. Second was the sword it carried in its hands, still smoking from where the cero had been fired from it.

Third and most important, he recognized the designs on both the mask and the sword.

"Ichigo," called out a faint voice, and he spared a look to the side where a shadow now stumbled. As it came into the moonlight, he saw that it was Chad, heavily injured and leaving a large trail of blood. Nevertheless, the teen found the strength to remain standing, and continued to call out urgently. "Ichigo, don't kill her! It's Orihime."

* * *

Chad couldn't sleep. His thoughts kept returning to the events of that day- the sight of the behemoth that had appeared out of nowhere and laid waste to the area he, Orihime and Uryuu had been defending. He remembered the heat of its breath as it washed over him, and his racing to cover Orihime's fragile form and protect her as they were both consumed in flames. He remembered waking up to terrible pain, then the sight of his melted corpse at his feet. Again he relived the terrifying moments of his escape to Urahara's shop, only to be thrown into a pit and left to watch the links of his soul chain crumble painfully away. And finally there was his transformation, though he remembered little enough of that, having awoken to find Ichigo holding him down. He could still hear the distorted screams of Orihime's hollow as she fought Uryuu, who himself had only just reverted to normal. Well, not really normal, but then nothing would ever be normal for them again.

He shifted in his bed roll, and saw Orihime across the room react to the sound. She sat up to look at him.

"Can't sleep either?"

Chad shook his head and sighed. He check on Uryuu, but he seemed fast asleep.

"I think Rukia's energy is keeping me awake," said Orihime gloomily. "Maybe I need to exercise to make my body tired."

"We could always go back to the training ground," suggested Chad, only half-jokingly. He wanted to keep training, but he knew that what his body really needed was rest. Unfortunately, that wouldn't happen until he could clear his thoughts.

"Maybe a walk instead?" suggested Orihime hopefully. Chad quickly considered the risks involved, then decided that if they stayed close to the shop, there would be little harm.

"Ok, let's go."

They crept out of the store, worried about tripping an alarm but never noticed any go off. Once outside, they both felt much better. Although the other shops in the area were now deserted, it felt good just to be out in the normal world again. No Shinigami or swords or magical underground rooms. No hollows...

The sudden unmistakable howl of a hollow sent shivers up their spines. They looked at each other, wondering what they should do. The safest thing was obviously to run back to the shop and warn the others. But a part of them wondered if maybe they were strong enough to handle this on their own now.

"We could just take a look," said Orihime, looking uncharacteristically mischievous.

Chad disregarded his nagging feelings and agreed. "All right, but if it looks too big to handle we go back and get the others."

Urahara had shown them how to shunpo, although neither of them were very good at it. They tried to keep up with each other, pausing when one of them stumbled. At last they reached the source of the sound. It seemed to be a just single hollow, but it was Menos level. Still, compared to an arrancar, a Menos was practically child's play.

"I'm going for it," Chad announced, wondering how he had suddenly become so daring. "_Perforate, el Diablo_," he cried, and his claw weapons appeared in his hands. He ran up to the hollow and fired a punch at its feet. Chad had no idea what a Menos's lower body looked like under its robes, but he blasted a large hole through it anyway. The creature collapsed but continued to howl, thrashing on the ground and knocking over a small building. Orihime called out, "_Reject, Tsubaki!_" and suddenly her blade lengthened and fragmented into a dozen v-shaped segments. She threw back her arm and the blade broke apart, sending the pieces hurtling towards the hollow. With one final cry, the Menos disintegrated.

Orihime and Chad smiled at each other, somewhat proud of their accomplishment. Their victory was brief, however, as suddenly they felt multiple hollow signatures materialize around them.

* * *

Orihime watched in horror as the hollows had them surrounded. Chad grunted, but did not show any fear. Orihime tried to copy him.

"Well, you're not the catch we wanted, but I suppose you'll do for a snack," cackled an arrancar that appeared to be the group's leader. The other hollows around it were of various shapes and types, but all were lower than Menos level. They growled and laughed appreciatively at the arrancar's words.

"Except for that arrancar, these are all weaker than the one we just killed," Chad whispered, echoing her assessment. "We could still win this."

Orhime nodded, not trusting herself to speak. If she was going to do this, she had to be fully committed. These were sentient creatures, and though they may be misguided or victims just as her brother had been, if she did not kill them, they would kill Chad. They would most certainly kill her as well, but Orihime's own safety was usually not a good enough reason to motivate herself to fight. _You're doing this for your friend_, she reminded herself.

Instantly Chad was among them, throwing blows with his fists and knocking hollows into the walls. Orihime carefully aimed her sword and launched Tsubaki's fragments at any hollows that tried to get up again. Eventually only a few remained standing, their focus on Chad, who was so far able to hold his own. Orihime allowed herself to feel a moment of reassurance that they were going to make it out of this.

Out of nowhere a giant beam of red light slammed into Chad. He was thrown through several walls from the force of the cero, and took a long while getting up. Orihime ran towards him, automatically reaching for her hairpins until she remembered that they no longer worked.

Tsubaki's voice echoed in her mind, chiding her. _"You can't just run out there, you're leaving yourself exposed! What will you do if he fires a cero at you next?"_

_"Then I'll protect her,_" said the voice of Orihime's hollow, making her gasp in fear. _"I'll protect you, and then you can protect your friend. Isn't that what you want, Orihime?"_

The arrancar materialized directly in front of her, it's sword raised to chop at her head. Tsubaki directed Orihime's arm in time to block, then sent its pieces flying at the hollow. It sonidoed out of the way, then rematerialized at her side, trying to bury its weapon in her chest. Again, Tsubaki deflected the blow.

_"Tsubaki will not be able to keep this up forever. One mistake, and Chad will die. But I have the skill to defeat this foe. Trust me, and I will save him."_

She couldn't free her hollow, she had promised! But was it right to just stand by and let the arrancar kill Chad?

_"If you want my help, decide now or it will be too late!"_

Orihime saw the arrancar's sword switch hands, now coming at her from the opposite side, which she had left unguarded. Seeing death coming at her, she panicked. She sent a mental message to her hollow, agreeing to set it free. As she did, she could feel her body grow numb, her limbs taken over by a foreign presence. She saw her own sword switch hands and block at the new attack. At the same time, she could see the white borders of a mask appear at the edges of her vision.

"Dieee!" she heard herself shout in glee, now on the offensive as she knocked his attacks aside. Feeling itself outmatched, the arrancar maneuvered to escape, calling on a few remaining minions to distract her. She matched its sonido with her own, blocking its movements but no longer pressing as hard. Orihime could sense that her hollow was enjoying the fight and trying to prolong it.

The four smaller hollows suddenly jumped at her, pinning her down. The arrancar leaped away a short distance, then charged up a cero. Orihime felt herself growing angry, and the hollow inside her tore at the weaker creatures and ripped them to pieces with her bare hands. Orihime refused to watch and tried to ignore what was happening. She felt herself charge up a cero of her own and assumed her hollow was about to finally kill the arrancar. At the last moment, she recognized the orange hair and Shinigami uniform of the person she was actually aiming at.

"Stop!" she yelled into her mind. The warning came too late, and she watched in despair as the energy beam struck Ichigo. When she saw him crawl to his feet a moment later, even as the arrancar in front of him disintegrated, she felt intense relief.

"Ichigo," called out Chad, and Orihime turned to see her friend stagger towards them. "Ichigo, don't kill her! It's Orihime."

Orihime almost _wanted_ them to kill her. It might be the only way to free her now. Unless she could still manage to kill herself? She began to struggle against the hand holding her sword, trying to regain control.

"_Don't bother, I'm done here_," the hollow said, disgusted. After a moment, feeling began to return to her body.

"Ichigo! Chad!" Orihime cried, then upon hearing the distorted sound of her voice, she remembered the hollow mask and ripped it off her face.

"Orihime!" her friends shouted, equally relieved. They met in the middle, with Ichigo and Orihime immediately grabbing hold of Chad to help support him.

"We should get help, we won't be able to carry him back to the shop before he bleeds out," noted Ichigo worriedly. "Orihime, stay with him and I'll-"

"Don't bother," said Yoruichi, echoing the hollow's earlier words as she materialized beside them. The woman already held several strips of bandages and began winding them around Chad's chest. When that was done, she placed her hands over the worst of his wounds and began a healing kido. Ichigo and Orihime watched her in embarrassed silence.

"I don't need to remind you how much danger you put yourselves through here tonight," she scolded them in a frosty voice. Turning to look at Orihime, her eyes narrowed. "And you, I thought you would know better than to hollowfy without supervision. What if you hadn't been able to control yourself? What if you had gone over to Aizen's side?"

Orihime could hear the hollow inside her mind scoff at the idea of joining Aizen, but Orihime couldn't be sure what its true intentions might be.

"I wouldn't have, but it was the only way to save Chad. I- I couldn't just let them kill him!" Orihime protested.

Yoruichi shook her head. "There's always an excuse. You kids are a double-edged sword, just as dangerous to our side as you are to theirs. I know you want to help, but the best thing might be just to keep you at the shop until the war is over."

* * *

"That's crazy!" shouted Uryuu when Yoruichi's words were passed on to him. "They're losing badly out there, and now they want to keep us-perhaps their only hope-from fighting!?" They were again seated at the table in Urahara's office, with few other options now that their freedom was restricted. Uryuu clutched his grandfather's Quincy medallion in a tight fist.

Rukia appeared at the doorway, walking in on their conversation. She had spent the night at the shop to recover her powers, and already had her zanpakuto back. "I don't know that I'd call you our _only _hope," said Rukia dryly. When they stared at her, she raised her hands in apology and explained, "There's no denying that Ichigo turned the tide back at the start of the war. But you three have a long way to go before you can match his level."

"And now even Ichigo isn't at that level any more," remarked Orihime, looking crestfallen. "You and him and Urahara gave a part of your powers to us, and that made you weaker. All that any of this accomplished was to make it easier for Aizen to win!"

"Don't worry Orihime," Rukia said comfortingly, watching as the girl began to cry. "We're getting stronger every day. I may even go back and rejoin my squad tomorrow."

"At least Yoruichi is still at a hundred percent," noted Chad. "If the hollows attack here, we won't be defenseless."

Uryuu pounded the table with his fist for emphasis. "We _wouldn't _be defenseless! You two defeated a whole squad of hollows, a menos and an arrancar last night! Short of Aizen coming down here in person, we're more than enough to handle whatever he sends at us!"

Orihime stopped her crying to look at him uncertainly. Chad shook his head, and offered Uryuu an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry we didn't wake you, but we had no idea we would be fighting hollows when we left. Still, it wasn't as easy as you make it sound. Orihime had to use her mask and almost lost control."

"Then we won't use our masks!" he cried out angrily, throwing up his hands in frustration. "There are plenty of strong shinigami out there who aren't vizards. It's not like we _need_ our hollows."

Rukia shook her head. "Those shinigami have had centuries of experience. I know your Quincy training included some sword work, Uryuu, but it's not the same thing. A zanpakuto is a living thing, it takes a long time to build a relationship with it so that you can fight at peak performance. _That _was Ichigo's true strength. His bond with Zangetsu was so deep and trusting that it let him make huge advances in his training."

"Rukia's right," said Yoruichi, materializing beside them. Her flashsteps always caught them by surprise, and also served to remind them that she could be listening in on them at any moment. "I plan on working all of you hard in training today, so that should give you an excellent opportunity to start bonding with your zanpakuto."

The three new vizards couldn't help but groan in response. As they preceded their mentor down into the training hall, Yoruichi called out to them.

"Oh, and Uryuu, leave that medallion behind. It's time to let go of the past. Only your sword can save you now."


	4. Anger

AN: Yay, my exam is over! Here's a little more I had written up until now. I figure there will be more or less 7 chapters for each of the stages of grief (in case you wondered about the chapter titles).

* * *

Uryuu watched Yoruichi warily as she indicated a section of the training ground. "We'll fight here. Orihime and Chad, why don't you practice on that other side? I'll rotate out with you when we finish."

The ex-Quincy waited for her to take her position, then noticed that she was unarmed. "Aren't you going to draw your zanpakuto? Although now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever seen you use a weapon."

His opponent grinned and tossed aside her orange jacket. "I won't be helpless, if that's what you're worried about. Go ahead and come at me with all you've got."

Uryuu would not be fooled by appearances; he already knew that he was no match for her. He lifted his sword from the sheath on his back and cried, "Fragment, _Seele Zertummerer!_"

Yoruichi snorted in wry amusement as the metal blade turned into blue flame. "Not wasting any time, I see. Well, don't just stand there, attack!"

Uryuu approached her, then hesitated. "This sword can slice through anything. I don't want to hurt you."

The woman rolled her eyes at him. "Just let me worry about that, okay? Assuming you can even land a hit on me."

Annoyed, Uryuu let go of his inhibitions and went all out. As Yoruichi predicted, he was finding it impossible to touch her. She effortlessly dodged each his attacks, even those he tried to feint and redirect. She would even have moves to spare to playfully tap him on the shoulder. Once she even had the audacity to steal the glasses right off his face.

"Okay, I get it, you're incredibly fast," he said, lowering his sword as he tried to catch his breath.

"Tired already?" she noted disapprovingly. "Get your sword up, we're not done yet. There are no rest breaks in a real battle."

Uryuu grit his teeth. This woman was impossible! He humored her and continued to stab at her wildly, noticing that she had a little more trouble when his attacks followed no particular pattern. Not that such a slight advantage made any real difference.

_Let me have a try,_ suggested an icy voice from inside his head.

_I don't need your help_, Uryuu thought back at it furiously.

"This is pretty pathetic, you know," commented Yoruichi in the middle of dodging his strikes. "I haven't even tried to fight back yet."

Uryuu shamefully admitted to himself that she was right. He knew some basic sword fighting techniques, but he was trained to fight with long range weapons. If his zanpakuto had a shikai more like Orihime's, he would have been set. But as it was-

_You miss your bow, don't you. What if I told you I could bring it back?_

Uryuu's attack faltered for a moment and Yoruichi was again playfully tapping his shoulder. His frustration was quickly turning into anger.

"Stop that!"

"I would if you weren't making it so incredibly easy."

_That part of me is gone. I can't use Quincy techniques any more, _Uryuu reminded his hollow._  
_

_Maybe _you _can't. But _I_ can._

What that even possible? Yet there had been a time once before when Uryuu had thought his powers were permanently lost, and his father had brought them back. What if there really was another way?

_Let me out and I'll show you. Let me out, Uryuu... _

"Stop listening to your hollow and focus on _me_," commanded Yoruichi sharply. Uryuu did a double take. She had heard his thoughts?

"How did you-"

"I trained a lot with the Vizards after we all escaped from the Soul Society. Trust me, I know the signs. And don't even think about trying to reach for your mask. I'll knock your hand aside so hard your arm will be numb for a week."

Uryuu continued to fight, and both Yoruichi and his hollow continued to taunt him. His anger kept rising, and it was all Uryuu could do to keep both hands on his sword and away from his face. In a burst of rage, he felt the hold on his hollow slip, and his arm suddenly fell under its control. It was only for a second-his mask had not even tried to form-before Uryuu had reined it in again. But in that brief moment, his sword had finally made contact.

Yoruichi's arms and back were covered in blinding white reiatsu. Whatever technique she was using, it seemed to nullify his zanpakuto's energy, so that the blade dissolved where it would have pierced her. She finally smiled at him and nodded for him to withdraw. As soon as he did, her light disappeared.

She congratulated him, commenting on how the bond with his zanpakuto must be getting stronger. His hollow snickered faintly in a corner of his mind. Ashamed of himself, Uryuu did not have the heart to correct her.

* * *

Renji came to visit again that night, and as before, found Ichigo sitting on the roof of Urahara's shop, keeping watch.

"Hi Ichigo," he greeted, landing beside him. "Hey, your energy's a little better today." The orange-haired teen grunted in acknowledgement, but said nothing more as his eyes scanned the horizon. Renji studied him more closely.

"You look a little more beat up, too. Did something happen over here? We didn't notice any activity, but then we haven't sent any scouts in this direction since we knew you were already had it covered."

Ichigo was silent for a moment, then reluctantly admitted to the events of the night before. Renji whistled in appreciation.

"Good thing Orihime was able to suppress that thing. Do you think you would have been able to fight her if she hadn't?"

Despite himself, Ichigo shuddered. "When she first hollowfied down in the basement, she looked so awful. It was hard to think that Orihime could be somewhere inside that monster. I could only hold it back, I couldn't hurt it. Uryuu saw that I was having trouble and offered to fight her instead; I had to help control Chad anyway. But I tell you, Renji, when I saw that mask on her again last night, I froze. I don't know what I would have done if I had to fight her."

"I doubt Yoruichi and Urahara were too happy about it. Are they even letting those three outside after this?"

Ichigo shook his head. "No, they're keeping them busy with training. As if I needed another reason for them to hate me."

Renji stared at him in surprise. "Are they really angry with you? After you saved their lives?"

Ichigo snorted. "The way Uryuu sees it, I damned his soul by not letting him move on. The truth is that I never thought too hard about the consequences of what Urahara did to me. It didn't matter at the time, I had to rescue Rukia and Urahara was the only one who could help. But those three got dragged into this war because of me. How could I just assume they had the same goals as I did? I acted on their behalf, but I had no right to. They were my friends, and I probably just did the worst thing possible to them."

"The way I remember it, you didn't have a whole lot of time to consider your options. I think you did the best you could, under the circumstances. For the moment, just focus on the fact that they're safe, and that their spirits are still alive. It could all have turned out much differently, and it still might. I don't think any of us should be focusing too much on the future until this bloody war is over with."

Ichigo grinned and looked up his friend. "Thanks Renji. Those were some pretty wise words coming from you."

Renji rolled his eyes. "Probably something I picked up from the Captain."

"What? Since when had Byakuya ever been wise? He's just a-" Something slapped at Ichigo's face, interrupting him. He turned around to see Rukia glaring at him. "Oh, hi Rukia."

"Idiot," she muttered, then threw a glare at Renji for good measure as the latter nearly rolled off the roof laughing.

* * *

"Ugh, it hurts to breathe," complained Orihime, lying sprawled out on her bedroll after their intense training session.

Chad and Uryuu looked worse for wear, especially as Chad still hadn't recovered from the cero blast from the night before. "Maybe they're working us hard to keep us too exhausted to wander outside again," he reflected aloud.

"Great, and I've never even had the chance to sneak out," mourned Uryuu.

"It wasn't all that much fun," Orihime said, trying to comfort him. She thought again about that night, and how she had faced the arrancar. She remembered reaching out to her hollow in desperation, and how its immense power had turned her into an unstoppable killing machine.

Without her consciously aware of it, Orihime's hand crept towards her face. Uryuu's startled cry stopped her in mid-motion.

"Orihime, what are you doing?!"

She looked down at her hand and froze. There was nothing yet over her face that she could see, but she could almost feel the weight of the white mask already pressing down on it. As Urhara had shown them, the hollow would always be with them, merely invisible until summoned. She had only to finish waving her hand across her features to make it happen.

"Are you okay?" asked Chad in concern.

Orihime felt like throwing up. She quickly rose off the bed and ran to the bathroom. Slamming the door behind her, she splashed cold water on her face and constantly checked herself in the mirror, afraid of what she might find.

"Do you want us to call Yoruichi?" came Chad's muffled voice from behind the door.

Orihime shook her head violently, then realized that they couldn't see her. "No, I'm all right. I'll be out in a minute." Focusing her thoughts, she sent out a mental question to her inner self.

_Are you doing this to me? Are you trying to get out?_

The reply she heard back was irritated and disgruntled. _"We had a deal. I told you I wouldn't come out unless you summoned me."_

_But I didn't call you! Why was my hand reaching for the mask?_

The creature in her mind chuckled. _"How delightful. It seems that somewhere deep inside, even _you enjoy_ power, Orihime. You better watch yourself. I won't appear unless you call me, but once you do, all bets are off."_

* * *

Aizen Souske, leader of the arrancar army, looked out over the broken city and sipped his tea contently. It had taken longer than expected, but his forces were finally making progress again. That nuisance Ichigo Kurosaki had initially held them back at strategic locations, but the boy had not made an appearance in several days. Aizen casually wondered if one of his Espada had managed to finish off the brat. Kurosaki was an opponent Aizen had expected to have to deal with himself eventually, but it seemed that even the hero of the Winter War was not invincible.

"Lord Aizen," greeted an arrancar messenger, bowing low to him before handing him its delivery. Aizen looked down at the green eyeball in amusement. Ulquiorra did not consider such an act gruesome; merely convenient and efficient. With his powers of regeneration, the temporary loss of an eye was inconsequential.

Aizen squeezed the eyeball between his fingers. Rather than ooze into jelly, it broke apart into a fine mist that hovered in the air in front of him. Onto the mist was projected the recordings of the Fourth Espada's report.

"How interesting," Aizen commented to no one in particular. The messenger arrancar remained prostrated at his feet, waiting for instructions, but it knew better than to assume that Lord Aizen was talking to him. After replaying the scene one more time to be certain of the details, Aizen sent the arrancar off with a new message. Within moments, he could hear the sounds of growing activity in their camp.

Gin and Toussen came up to him, probably to discuss the new orders. He regretfully put down the cup of tea and led the pair to the map of the city he had spread out before him. With the plan he had just concocted, Aizen's victory was almost assured.


End file.
